The present invention relates to an electronic hair remover which permits a user to remove unwanted hair, a single hair at a time.
Heretofore, unwanted hair has been removed by a high frequency coagulation of the hair root. The hair is initially gripped by a pair of tweezers, or located within the proximity of an electrified needle, and a high frequency electrical wave is applied to the hair.
One of the earliest instruments for removing hair with electric current is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 853,096 (Lewis 1907). Lewis' depilatory instrument includes a handle, a forceps, a needle, and means for supplying an electric current to the needle. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,071,978 (White 1913) discloses a device for removing hairs with tweezer blades which are connected to the terminals of an electric circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 2,417,530 (Weiser 1947) discloses an electrical hair removing instrument with which the hair is first pulled by a tweezer and the resulting hole treated with electrical current. Except for the use of a low current, no particular safety features were used in these early devices.
In an attempt to deal with the safety of hair removal, U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,927 (Fozard 1959) discloses an apparatus for removal of superfluous hair in which the gripping means are adapted to grip a hair at a point spaced from the skin. Thus, when high frequency current energizes the gripping means, the high frequency current passes along the hair to coagulate or otherwise destroy the hair bulb. This permits the apparatus to be used by the non-professional consumer. However, Fozard does not disclose an apparatus which avoid burns in the event that the tweezers inadvertently contact the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,894,512 (Tapper 1959) discloses an epilation device for one-handed operation in which forceps are used to engage a single hair. Tapper's device can be used by a non-professional consumer and held in only one hand, but no safety mechanisms other than a rheostat are disclosed.
Subsequently, devices began using approaches to provide safety from skin burns. U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,714 (Mehl 1979) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,350 (Hoshi 1977) disclose such devices which use high frequency electrical waves. Mehl uses an insulating layer on the tweezers, in an assembly held by an operator, which in turn is attached by a cable to an energy source. As an additional feature, Mehl uses only an upper tweezer arm to conduct the high frequency electrical waves. Hoshi uses either a heat insulating cover on the hair clamping members or a safety guide adapted to keep the tips of the hair clamping members out of direct contact with the skin. However, such structures prove to be cumbersome and result in bulky devices which are unwieldy for the users.
An approach to the problem of alleviating pain during an epilation treatment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,975 (Hopfinger et. al. 1955). Hopfinger discloses an apparatus which can produce at least two high frequency currents of predetermined and different intensities. A time controlled switching mechanism allows the operator to switch from a relatively low intensity, short duration pulse, to a longer duration, higher intensity pulse by mechanical means such as foot pedals and switches.
As a result, the operator using Hopfinger's device can initiate a series of shorter, low intensity pulses, and thereafter the occurrence of pulses of longer duration and greater intensity. Hopfinger relies on this plurality of low intensity pulses to produce a coagulated layer around the papilla, thus impeding the high intensity pulse from reaching the nerve nearest the hair. However, Hopfinger discloses no safety mechanism if the needle contacts the skin.
Consequently, despite the prior art, a need still exists for a hair removal device which is both simple and easily manipulated by the user while at the same time protects the user from electrical burns.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronic hair remover having tweezer-like metal ends which are similar to a conventional pair of tweezers. This permits the non-professional user to manipulate apparatus with which the user is familiar.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electronic hair remover which will not cause skin burns from inadvertent contact of the tweezers with the skin.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electronic hair remover which provides pulsed high energy bursts to tweezer tips to treat the root of a hair.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electronic hair remover in which the presence of a hair is detected prior to application of electric current to the tweezer tips.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electronic hair remover in which the occurrence of skin contact is detected prior to application of electric current to the tweezer tips.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic hair remover which comprises a self-contained hand held unit which is pleasing in appearance and convenient to use by a non-professional user.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an electronic hair remover which can be battery powered.